News

From scholarship support to storytelling: Christian Barksdale’s Thurgood Marshall College Fund journey

What began as a search for scholarship support became something much larger for Christian Barksdale. Through the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), he found opportunities that expanded his perspective, strengthened his confidence and inspired him to tell stories of resilience. Barksdale, a December 2025 graduate of Mississippi Valley State University, first connected with TMCF after […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s DevCon converges on Houston in July

Top-tier early talent students from the nation’s public historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominantly Black institutions (PBIs) will descend on Houston July 8-11 for DevCon, a regional professional development conference hosted by TMCF.  Designed for first- and second-year students representing public and private HBCUs and PBIs, the upcoming three-and-a-half-day conference offers a deep […]

Finding purpose through opportunity: Kennedy Blue Washington’s Thurgood Marshall College Fund journey

When Kennedy Blue Washington, a rising senior at Spelman College, attended her first Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) event, she expected to learn, network and gain professional experience. What she found was a supportive community, new opportunities and a renewed confidence in her ability to achieve her goals. Washington attended TMCF DevCon in 2024, an […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund partnering with Chipotle in June to create impact for students

In observance of Juneteenth, Chipotle Mexican Grill has selected the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) to benefit from a donation round-up from June 15-21. Chipotle patrons in the United States can round-up their order total to the next highest dollar amount on the Chipotle app and Chiptole.com to support TMCF, its students and member institutions.  […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund board chair shared financial expertise with national media outlets

The chair for the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Board of Directors recently shared her deep expertise in finance with Bloomberg and MS NOW.  Racquel Oden, chair of the TMCF board and HSBC’s head of international wealth and premier banking, and head of global private banking, spoke about corporate earnings driving the market on Bloomberg’s […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund SOAR program set to begin on 16 campuses 

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) SOAR (Seeking, Observing and Achieving Results) program expanded to 16 campuses this summer, with activities beginning on the last day of May and continuing through July. SOAR began in 2024 on the campuses of four historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).   The SOAR program provides high school juniors and […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund president spoke at Fortune’s Workplace Innovation Summit

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) was well represented at the recent Fortune Workplace Innovation Summit in Atlanta.   Dr. Harry L. Williams, president & CEO of TMCF, was a panelist at the conference for a session about AI, entry-level jobs and the new frontier of jobs.  Other panelists included Cristina Mancini, CEO of Black Girls […]

Turning Thurgood Marshall College Fund opportunities into a career: Jarrett Davis’ journey

Jarrett Davis did not just attend the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Leadership Institute. He turned it into a launchpad for his career. A native of Mobile, Alabama, Davis studied mechanical engineering at Alabama A&M University before building a career at Caterpillar, where he now works as an autonomy and automation safety engineer. His path […]

From Thurgood Marshall College Fund to the big screen: Jayven Jean-Louis turns access into a creative career

For Jayven Jean-Louis, involvement with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) became more than a campus experience; it helped shape his journey into the entertainment industry. Jean-Louis, a 2025 graduate of Prairie View A&M University, earned a degree in computer science and was part of the inaugural cohort of TMCF’s yard ambassador program in 2022. […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund officials applaud the introduction of the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act

Officials at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) commend the introduction of the bipartisan Institutional Grants for New Infrastructure, Technology, and Education (IGNITE) for HBCU Excellence Act. The IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act, which is co-sponsored by each of the co-chairs of the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus, Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.), Rep. Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Sen. Tim […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund officials support the reintroduction of the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act 

Officials from the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) support and applaud the reintroduction of the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act by U.S. Rep. Alma Adams and U.S. Rep. French Hill.  The Institutional Grants for New Infrastructure, Technology, and Education for (IGNITE) HBCU Excellence Act recognizes the contributions of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund honors the legacy of Dr. Mary E. Sias

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) joins the historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) community in mourning the passing of Dr. Mary Evans Sias, a visionary leader whose brilliance and dedication left an indelible mark on the HBCU landscape.  As a former president of Kentucky State University (Kentucky State), interim president at Texas Southern University […]

New Place-Based Training makes an impact for Thurgood Marshall College Fund students

A new series of events called Workforce Development Place-Based Trainings (PBTs) are making a big impact for students attending institutions in the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) network.  As part of its ongoing commitment to preparing students for the workforce and deepening employer partnerships, TMCF conducted PBTs at Shelton State Community College, Drake State Community […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund president kicks off whirlwind spring and summer

The spring and summer of 2026 are shaping up to be brimming with opportunities for impact for Dr. Harry L. Williams, the president & CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF).  Beginning in early May, Dr. Williams will begin a spring and summer of engaging with high school and college students, philanthropists, friends and […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund Board of Directors convene at Texas Southern University

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Board of Directors met in April in Houston at Texas Southern University and completed several action items. The finance and audit committee approved the 2026 budget, while the full board affirmed the committee’s approval.   One new board director was appointed by the governance committee’s recommendation and the board’s approval: […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund promotes new general counsel and VP of government relations

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) promoted from within when selecting its new general counsel and vice president of government relations.  Sean D. Burns, Esq. ascended to the new role after serving as assistant vice president of government relations and legal affairs at TMCF since 2018. Burns started at TMCF as director of government relations […]

Thurgood Marshall College Fund celebrates the lasting impact of U.S. Rep. David Scott

The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) joins the nation in mourning the loss of U.S. Rep.  David Scott, a visionary legislative leader, historic trailblazer and a lifelong champion for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Rep. Scott’s dedication to the HBCU mission was rooted in his own education at Florida A&M University (FAMU), an 1890 […]

Sophomore standout: Arianna Stewart maximizes every opportunity with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund

Arianna Stewart, a sophomore marketing major at Howard University, already has her sights set on becoming a chief marketing officer at a Fortune 500 company. While many first- and second-year students are just beginning to explore their interests, Stewart has distinguished herself through an extraordinary level of involvement with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF). […]